What Are Camper Walls Made of? The Correct Answer is Here!

You may likely spend much time selecting your camper. From the engine to model kitchen equipment and bed. So what about the material of the wall?

Today, many RV owners consider this vehicle as their second home, allowing them to enjoy comfort. So, instead of leaving your RV’s walls cold, metallic, and drab, consider replacing them with other materials.

Going with something cozy and warm will be perfect, and the question is, “What are camper walls made of?”

There are different materials worth considering for travel trailer walls, and each has its own pros and cons. So ensure you consider it carefully.

What Are the Interior Walls of the RV Made of?

There are 3 common materials you can use to make the RV wall construction, and each has its pros and cons.

1. Composite Plywood

Brief Description

This material is a common material choice for the camper wall material. This option also is more suitable for RVers who like to use wood for RV walls.

It is a mixture of several kinds of wood pressed together to create a big sheet. In most cases, the inner layers are cheap wood.

Most manufacturers ensure that their plywood is solid and sturdy when producing composite plywood, ensuring that your camper wall panels will not break easily.

Moreover, it would be a good idea to use composite plywood for RV interior paneling would be a good idea, as you can expect it to give a homey vibe.

In addition, it also makes your RV walls have a natural look, allowing you to decorate by using wallpaper or hanging items and repainting easily as a breeze.

On the downside, water damage, like molds and rotting, is the enemy of plywood. Even a simple roof leak is enough to damage the entire wall.

Hence, it is essential to take all precautions. If your RV’s interior walls get wet, ensure to wipe them off using a clean microfiber towel.

Pros

The key benefit of utilizing plywood as RV interior walls is that it is stable and against impact damage effectively. The reason is that it is a few sheets compressed together, which gives it much tensile strength.

Therefore, you can expect it will not break effortlessly and not dent when hitting it accidentally.

This material is very popular in homes as it looks like natural wood. So it will give you a pleasant feeling than plastic or metal interior walls in some campers.

If you’re surrounded by natural wood walls, albeit in the form of plywood, you will surely feel warm.

If you’ve got a used vehicle with plywood walls and don’t like its existing color, it is okay to paint over the RV’s walls or apply a wallpaper of your choice.

Cons

In fact, water damage is a common issue for this material. For example, if your RV roof has a tiny hole that allows water to drip along your plywood walls, your RV’s walls will get soft very fast. Then, the adhesive holding veneers together will go bad and become loose.

There is no denying that water damage to plywood walls can cause various issues depending on how you set the RV’s walls. For example, softening your RV walls may cause your RV to collapse and hurt you.

When your plywood walls get wet (even a little), all types of fungi would begin multiplying. So, it is essential to keep your plywood dry at all costs. If it gets wet, dry it by wiping it as soon as possible.

2. Vinyl

Brief Description

Using vinyl for RV walls is no longer a strange thing. It is essentially very durable plastic. This material has come a long way over the years and is now a very affordable option for camper interior walls.

Vinyl walls and floors are even more prevalent since designers can make vinyl look like other expensive materials, such as wood.

Moreover, if you are a DIYer, you will love it because it is quick and straightforward to install.

This material costs significantly less than the cost of plywood. Also, It is straightforward to cut the vinyl sheet, which does not require any special tools. All you need to prefer is a retractable, sharp utility knife.

As it is pretty easy and cheap, if you prefer changing your decor, it can allow you to try various styles over several years.

On the downside, vinyl travel trailer walls can easy to crack and tend not to last long as expensive materials.

To sum up, vinyl is light and effortless to install, making this material a common option for the RV interior wall.

Pros

Vinyl is the cheapest material on this list. Covering your RV’s walls with vinyl saves you less than half the cost of using real plywood. You can even save more by buying vinyl in bulk.

You can expect to reshape vinyl easily and cut this material with a few household tools. No need to be an expert to do it! You can get the job done without the equipment needed and special training.

Nowadays, vinyl designs may look like marble, wood, and other expensive materials.

Cons

This material can be effortlessly dented.

In fact, it is pretty soft. Hence, it does not have a severe impact. Also, it’s not ideal for the cold climate.

As a result, if you plan to camp outside when it is snowing, it is essential to ditch this material and invest in some excellent insulation.

As mentioned above, vinyl is not as solid as it seems. But it should not be a problem as you can remove it quickly. Moreover, it is cheap, so worrying about the repair costs is unnecessary.

3. MDF

Brief Description

MDF is a cheap option you can utilize to make camper walls. This material is produced from glued sawdust sandwiched together between two wood veneer sheets or more. So MDF is effortless to cut into any size or shape thanks to its composition.

MDF is ideal for RVers who are searching for budget-friendly material. You can buy many MDF sheets for a fraction of an actual plywood’s price. Also, it is very lightweight, and you don’t have to worry about putting additional weight on the vehicle.

It is alright to paint over it, hang things like decorations or family photos, and add wallpaper to make it look great.

MDF is an affordable camper wall material, but you must consider its longevity. Once the glue maintaining the sawdust inside MDF sheets wears off, this material will decline fast over time.

This material lasts one year or more before requiring RV wall replacement panels.

Pros

You can buy MDF at a very good price, making it easy to put new interior walls in your vehicle at a low cost.

No need to worry about putting too much weight on the RV as it will not be a problem using MDF.

You can easily cut MDF into the shapes you expect to create interior walls for your RV.

It is okay to paint over it, apply wallpaper, or hang items like family photos.

Although MDF isn’t as robust as plywood, it can hold up better than aluminum and vinyl as the top layer is veneer.

Hence, you can go with the expected design and are not bound by any limitations.

Cons

As a general rule, you get what you pay for. MDF is cheap but deteriorates quickly and could require replacement as early as a year later.

Why is the Camper’s Interior Wall Important?

Recreational vehicles are considered the home on several wheels of the RVers. Therefore, the type of material you choose for your RV’s interior will significantly affect the quality of your stay.

Here are the answers to “Why are RV interior walls important?”

1. Decor

It is true to say that interior renovation will bring out the best inside your rig. For example, if your vehicle features a bad-fashioned interior, you can replace it with a better wood surface.

2. Soundproofing

The Rv’s interior walls will help ensure others in a campground cannot hear you, and you cannot listen to them.

3. Insulation

It is always helpful to add extra layers between the outdoors and you! The camper’s interior walls will keep your vehicle cooler in the summer and warmer in chilly months.

FAQs

How Thick Are the Walls in a Recreational Vehicle?

Most RV’s walls are approximately 2 to 2 and ½ inches thick. RV interior walls are typically very thin paneling made from one of the above materials.

Using Wallpaper Or Paint?

Generally, the answer depends on your preferences.

Whichever way you choose, you can expect it to make your RV feel cozier inside. Here are a few things that you must know before choosing one.

What Is the Material of Camper Exterior Walls?

What are camper exterior walls made of? Three common types of material are used to make camper’s exterior walls: Smooth aluminum, corrugated aluminum, and fiberglass.

The Bottom Line

So you have reached the bottom of this article. We hope you by now should have the answer to, “What are camper walls made of?”

Generally, there are 3 common materials your RV interior walls made of. Finding the suitable RV interior wall material should depend on your vehicle’s comfort. Yet, it is not only helpful to the amount of comfort you will get and may also improve the RV’s interior.

Was this article helpful to you? Please comment below, then share our post with other RV owners.